Aquatic life often requires underwater cover to thrive and reproduce. Indeed, many species of aquatic organisms utilize underwater cover as habitat, for protection from predators, finding food, and seeking mates. However, natural processes and human-led projects have damaged aquatic life habitats, often removing or injuring natural aquatic life habitats. For example, removal of rocks, debris, logs, or other natural detritus in a waterway may be done to make waterways safe for boat travel and/or human recreation. However, the removal of these natural systems often damages the natural ecological habitats of the aquatic life present. In addition, artificially constructed reservoirs and lakes have been and are frequently created, typically turning dry land into a waterway. In such a case, natural aquatic habitats are frequently simply not present.
Currently, in an attempt to remediate damage to natural aquatic habitats, many products on the market attempt to provide artificial aquatic habitats. However, due to sometimes harsh environmental conditions, oftentimes the artificial aquatic habitats decay too quickly. In addition, artificial aquatic habitats may be difficult to install, may be too heavy, too large for transport, too lightweight to stay put on waterway floors, and most are manufactured from first generation materials.
For example, in an attempt to create artificial habitats for aquatic life, heavy equipment that is past its useful life may be deposited on a waterway bottom. Specifically, it is known to scuttle boats, train cars, tires or even dump armored tanks in waterways at the end of their useful lives. The heavy equipment thus provides spaces that may be used as underwater cover by aquatic life or may provide surfaces from which natural cover may grow, thereby protecting aquatic life from predators. However, the use of heavy equipment may release toxic substances into an aquatic habitat, including, for example, petroleum products, such as oils, gases, fuels, or the like, heavy metals, or other like toxic substances. A need, therefore, exists for modular habitat apparatuses for aquatic life that are safe to use in underwater environments. Moreover, a need exists for modular habitat apparatuses for aquatic life utilizing post-consumer recycled material or content to further aid in reducing the impact of waste on the environment.
Oftentimes, artificial aquatic habitats are disposed within a waterway, and due to unique conditions may have difficulty anchoring or rooting to provide optimal aquatic life habitats. Specifically, if the body of water is moving, such as via tides, currents, eddies, or other like movement, then artificial aquatic habitats may also move as the water moves, thereby preventing aquatic life from effectively utilizing the artificial aquatic habitats. A need, therefore, exists for modular habitat apparatuses for aquatic life that resists movement in underwater environments. More specifically, a need exists for modular habitat apparatuses for aquatic life that maintain their positions, even with relatively strong water movement.
The need to increase the weight of artificial aquatic habitats installed in waterways has become increasingly apparent as fisheries professionals have undertaken substantial long-term investment in aquatic life restoration and improvements thereto. Currently, most aquatic life habitat products available for installation in freshwater lakes and reservoirs typically require a substantial amount of additional weight to keep them in place on the water bottom. To do so often requires additional materials, time and installation needs that frequently add to the total cost of a remediation project.
Specifically, creation of artificial habitats for aquatic life typically utilize cinder blocks, concrete, anchors, cables and ropes to provide additional weight or anchoring points for artificial aquatic life habitats. The use of these materials is difficult, unwieldy, labor-intensive, and time consuming. Often, the use of these materials typically requires multiple fastening links and connections, thereby providing areas that are easy to snag fishing lines or tangle in boat propellers or anchors. Lack of sufficient weighting or anchoring has also created a theft problem, as individuals often simply pick-up and move artificial fish habitats, either to remove them from the waterway or to move them to a more desirable location for themselves. A need, therefore, exists for weighted modular habitat apparatuses for aquatic life. Specifically, a need exists for weighted modular habitat apparatuses for aquatic life that reduce or eliminate movement of the habitat apparatuses so as to increase their viability, size and use by aquatic life.
Besides the toxic nature of certain materials utilized to create artificial aquatic life habitats, it is typical that certain materials utilized in aquatic life habitats may quickly decay. For example, artificial aquatic life habitats are often made of wood or metals. Woods may quickly rot and decay in underwater environments, and certain metals may rust. A need, therefore, exists for modular habitat apparatuses for aquatic life that is made from materials that resist decay over time in underwater environments. Moreover, a need exists for modular habitat apparatuses for aquatic life that are made from recycled or repurposed aquatic-safe materials like fiberglass, cement and plastics that are safe to use in underwater environments.
The more surface area of a waterway that is covered by aquatic life habitats, the more successfully aquatic life may thrive. However, it is often difficult to cover large areas with artificial aquatic life habitats. A need exists for modular habitat apparatuses for aquatic life that may individually cover relatively large areas of waterway floors. Moreover, a need exists for modular habitat apparatuses for aquatic life that may easily be interconnected together to cover relatively large areas of waterway floors.
Irregular waterway floors often make it difficult to properly position artificial habitats. Specifically, waterway floors, such as lake and ocean bottoms, stream bottoms, river bottoms and the like may have irregular features such as rocks, boulders, logs, and other like material that may make it difficult to position aquatic life habitats and keep them standing vertical and upright. Moreover, oftentimes waterway floors are soft sediments of mud or sand, which may make it difficult to place artificial aquatic life habitats without the habitats sinking significantly into the waterway floor with soft sediment. A need, therefore, exists for modular habitats for aquatic life that may be easily positioned on irregular waterway bottoms. Likewise, a need exists for modular habitats for aquatic life that may resist sinking in soft sediment, mud or sand waterway bottoms.
Oftentimes, existing known artificial aquatic life habitats are not configured optimally to provide the proper configuration ideal for aquatic life to thrive. Oftentimes, artificial habitats simply cover a two-dimensional area with habitat elements extending slightly upwardly, perpendicular to the waterway floor. However, aquatic life typically thrives in artificial habitat configurations that are in three-dimensions, with individual habitat elements extending both horizontally and vertically. Moreover, much aquatic life thrives in artificial habitat configurations whereby individual habitat elements extend horizontally, and both vertically up, from below, and down from above. A need, therefore, exists for modular habitat apparatuses for aquatic life that may be interconnected together in three-dimensions. In addition, a need exists for modular habitat apparatuses for aquatic life that may provide surfaces for individual habitat elements that may be disposed both horizontally and vertically, either upwardly or downwardly.